Methadone clinic question

[Badly Drawn Girl]

I just discovered there is a methadone clinic down the street from me. I had no idea!

For those of you who have been prescribed methadone, has anyone gotten signed up who wasn't a heroin addict? I got started on opiates legally but soon began self medicating for CP. And we all know how the story goes... my doctor won't up my dose, I've turned towards the street, my tolerance has gone up and I cannot afford to live this way anymore. Drug seeking behavior is taking over my life and I'm fed up with it. But my quality of life has increased so much, pain wise, since I found opiates. I used to be in so much pain I couldn't work, I could barely parent my kids, I wanted to die every single morning. Those days are gone, but I'm stuck chasing pills all over the place.

Methadone has been a lifeline for me. Unfortunately, I can't find it easily. So to get on with my questions... will a clinic accept me if I'm using for pain relief? Does it matter that I'm abusing pills, not heroin? Should I be honest about all of this? God knows I qualify as a junkie but I really don't take pills in order to get high. I'm just worried that I'll be rejected and referred to a pain clinic or something. Any thoughts?

[Duckfeet]

I just discovered there is a methadone clinic down the street from me. I had no idea!

For those of you who have been prescribed methadone, has anyone gotten signed up who wasn't a heroin addict? I got started on opiates legally but soon began self medicating for CP. And we all know how the story goes... my doctor won't up my dose, I've turned towards the street, my tolerance has gone up and I cannot afford to live this way anymore. Drug seeking behavior is taking over my life and I'm fed up with it. But my quality of life has increased so much, pain wise, since I found opiates. I used to be in so much pain I couldn't work, I could barely parent my kids, I wanted to die every single morning. Those days are gone, but I'm stuck chasing pills all over the place.

Methadone has been a lifeline for me. Unfortunately, I can't find it easily. So to get on with my questions... will a clinic accept me if I'm using for pain relief? Does it matter that I'm abusing pills, not heroin? Should I be honest about all of this? God knows I qualify as a junkie but I really don't take pills in order to get high. I'm just worried that I'll be rejected and referred to a pain clinic or something. Any thoughts?

You're right--emphasize the "addiction," not the pain. And there are all kinds of pillheads at clinics now, so just make sure you've got a dirty urine when you go in there, and tell them "your story," emphasizing the addiction, not the pain deal. You won't be the first one that does it for both pain and addiction. Just say it's for pain and you could, and probably will, be encouraged to try pain clinic.

[lizard1409]

I agree, you should emphasize the addiction. However, back when I had been on the MM, I made it quite clear, that I was doing it for pain relief. The DR. actually said that with my history, MM was the best option, as most pain clinics won't do anything for you, if you "abuse" (i.e., take more often, or at greater doses than prescribed) you Rx's. Granted, I also used heroin, and when that wasn't around I got up to a 640mg/day morphine habbit (good thing I was slangin' at the time), when I got on maint. Hell , I'm considering going back on, I've been doing the pain clinic thing lately, and it helps, but I go through my scripts way too fast, and i'm scared to ask for an increase cuz you know how Dr.'s can be, ask for more, and they might cut you off. Anyway, if you have a history of "abuse" as described above, MM will take you over a pain clinic referal.

Good Luck,
-Lizard1409

[Badly Drawn Girl]

Anyway, if you have a history of "abuse" as described above, MM will take you over a pain clinic referal.

Good Luck,
-Lizard1409

Thank you! I'm sure I qualify as far as abusing meds. My script for my percs, a month's worth, lasts 4 days. That leaves me with 26 days to fill the gap. I will take pretty much anything I can get my hands on. I went from having no experience with opiates to taking everything from Oxy's to Diludid, to Methadone, to Subs, I even got my hands on a Fentanyl patch. It's costing me a fortune and I'm tired of bouncing from one type of med to the next. I just want some stability. Thanks for the info. I'm going to think this through until the weekend and make a decision.

[Badly Drawn Girl]

You're right--emphasize the "addiction," not the pain. And there are all kinds of pillheads at clinics now, so just make sure you've got a dirty urine when you go in there, and tell them "your story," emphasizing the addiction, not the pain deal. You won't be the first one that does it for both pain and addiction. Just say it's for pain and you could, and probably will, be encouraged to try pain clinic.

That's pretty much what I thought. Thank you for the information!

[candy]

I am on Methadone and nurse as well. You might want to call first and even ask them what the requirments for entry is. Some will not treat unless you test positive for heroin use. Being from a pain management clinic or doc may not be enough. Remember that Methadone Maintenance treatment is meant to only maintain you at a level that you don't crave the drug and are not in withdrawal, it is not meant for pain control and you may find it isn't what you want.

[trainwrecker]

I go to the clinic on First Hill and I know for fact they will take pharm abusers.

[Narkotikon]

I just discovered there is a methadone clinic down the street from me. I had no idea!

For those of you who have been prescribed methadone, has anyone gotten signed up who wasn't a heroin addict? I got started on opiates legally but soon began self medicating for CP. And we all know how the story goes... my doctor won't up my dose, I've turned towards the street, my tolerance has gone up and I cannot afford to live this way anymore. Drug seeking behavior is taking over my life and I'm fed up with it. But my quality of life has increased so much, pain wise, since I found opiates. I used to be in so much pain I couldn't work, I could barely parent my kids, I wanted to die every single morning. Those days are gone, but I'm stuck chasing pills all over the place.

Methadone has been a lifeline for me. Unfortunately, I can't find it easily. So to get on with my questions... will a clinic accept me if I'm using for pain relief? Does it matter that I'm abusing pills, not heroin? Should I be honest about all of this? God knows I qualify as a junkie but I really don't take pills in order to get high. I'm just worried that I'll be rejected and referred to a pain clinic or something. Any thoughts?

If you want to be prescribed methadone to take at home, I'd recommend a pain managment clinic. Since you're in such pain, I'm sure that you've got a well-documented case, and I'm sure you could get the scripts you need from a PM doctor.

Now, as for the clinic, yes, you don't have to be just a heroin addict to go. Any narcotic will suffice. I mean, at the clinic I was at, I only met two other people who had even done heroin. Most were there for oxy, but this is KY and it's known for it's hillbilly heroin. I mean, some people were there also for hydro, which I assume they got started on from getting hooked at a doctor and then suddenly cut off. You know, not to change topics amid trains of though, but youk now how you always read that "your doctor may want to slowly decrease your dosage if you've been taking ____ for a long time." Why the fuck does this never happen? If you tell the doctor that it's not working anymore and need more, which is a legitimate reason because of tolerance, they get all scared and suddenly cut you off. Do you think that you'll just be fine and not experience withdrawals? I mean, WTF!?!?!?!?! But back to your topic, methadone maintenance may be cheaper. The fee at the clinic I was at was $90 a week if you paid on your pay day, or $105 if you paid in increments. That includes a weekly urine screen, a weekly visit with your counselor, your methadone, and doctor's visits whenever you needed to see him. So, if you paid on your pay day, it worked out to $360 a month. I'm not sure if that's more or less expensive than PM doctors. If you have no insurance, I'd say it would be less expensive. And that was the private pay clinic. There's also public clinics, which are funded by the state, and less expensive, but they've usually got a very long waiting list. I checked into the one here in Lexington, the public one I mean, and they had something like a two year waiting list? So, I really had no other choice than to go to the private one. Or, of course, you could go to a doctor and get suboxone, but that may even be more expensive in terms of the doctor's fee and the medication, as some doctor's won't accept insurance, and most insurance companies won't cover suboxone. It's a shitty system set up to screw and help junkies at the same time. I think it's done that way to help but also morally punish. I swear I'm sick of all of this moral bullshit. So, if I were you, I'd say PM doc if you've got insurance, or methadone clinic if you don't. If you don't have insurance and are afraid that they'll refer you to a pain management doctor, just don't mention the pain. I mean, you'd probably still have to compensate with outside opiates until you got to a methadone dose that helps with your pain, but almost all clinics expect that in the beginning. You could just say that you're still sick and craving and that you need a higher dose. I'm not one to suggest lying a lot, but you've gotta do what you've gotta do.

Edit: Oh, and to answer your question about whether you have to be on heroin to do MMT. No, you don't. When I started MMT last year, I said my DOC was poppy pod tea (and of course I had to explain to them what that was), but I also said I supplemented with heroin, which was true. That's what I think really made them accept me as a patient. It's a double edged sword. One one hand, we don't want a lot of people to know about pods, but on the other hand, you want doctors to believe you that it's a real drug when you need them to.

Edit Again: Sorry, but I just thought of this. Have you ever tried poppy pod tea? I mean, I know you're in pain, but that will definately help with pain, and if you get the right vendor, it's usually less expensive than scoring on the street for heroin or pills. Just thought I might mention that, but I'm not trying to push it on you. If you don't know anything about pod tea, do a search. It's basically opium tea, which is basically morphine tea, with small amounts of codeine, papaverine, thebaine, noscapine, narcateine, etc. in it as well. Thebaine is a stimulant, so opium is technically classified as a stimulant narcotic, but the stuff is great, and it does work well for pain.

[flipside]

It really depends on the clinic.

When I was waiting to get into a Pm clinic, I returned to using, I called the MMT prograqm here about getting on the program, I had been on MMT before srticty for H and had records to prove it. No doubt I was an addict long before I had CP issues. Like you I was tired of the rippin and running just to try and manage my pain and my habit picked up right where I had left off.

In short I was told no, even though I could produce U/A + for H. They told me they were 1) not equipped to manage CP and 2) not licensed to do so. That I needed a PM doc, well no kidding, anyway in retrospect and 2 years later they may have had a point, as Candy said you may not end up getting what you were hoping for, esp if the clinic is not familiar with treating CP & addiction concurrently

[robojunkie]

My former clinic would take anyone for maintenance if they could show through arrest/medical/detox records they had been using for at least a year. If not the most they would do is a 180 day detox. It goes without saying you had to test positive for opes. To my knowledge they did not refuse CPers but I think if you announced that fact (which you don't because they won't treat you any differently as far as administrative issues other than demand to have frequent updates with you're PM MD). But like it has already been said every clinic is different and mine was a private pay so there was the obvious profit motive to enlist "clients".

Also, something like 10% of the people on my old clinic were there for oxy or other opes, not heroin.

[Badly Drawn Girl]

Edit Again: Sorry, but I just thought of this. Have you ever tried poppy pod tea? I mean, I know you're in pain, but that will definately help with pain, and if you get the right vendor, it's usually less expensive than scoring on the street for heroin or pills. Just thought I might mention that, but I'm not trying to push it on you. If you don't know anything about pod tea, do a search. It's basically opium tea, which is basically morphine tea, with small amounts of codeine, papaverine, thebaine, noscapine, narcateine, etc. in it as well. Thebaine is a stimulant, so opium is technically classified as a stimulant narcotic, but the stuff is great, and it does work well for pain.

Thank you for the long post. I really appreciate all the info! I've never tried the tea. I've definitely considered it but I'm worried about actually pulling it off. I caregive full-time for my parents, have two kids, and basically have close to NO privacy at this point. I wouldn't know how to even make the tea without answering a bunch of questions. I do hope to be back in my own home early next year though, so that could be an option at that point.

My concerns about a pain clinic is that they will treat me like a junkie. I'm currently prescribed 3 percs (the 5's) a day. Needless to say, I'm WAYYY beyond that. My primary isn't comfortable going beyond that because a lot of my pain isn't considered suitable for opiate treatment. I've been slapped with the words fibromyalgia, and am only receiving any sort of pain help because of my shoulder injury. But the pain I have is so far off the fibro scale. Unfortunately I do not have insurance and I'm thankful that I have a dr who still sees me even though she never gets any money out of me. She writes my scripts every month and I only have to see her twice a year. I just can't imagine any doctor, pain clinic or not, is going to bump me from 3 percs a day up to Oxycontins or something comparable. And my DOC for pain management is methadone. I can be pain free on 50 mg a day, at least at this point. I have thus far been pretty lucky with being able to switch back and forth between different meds and my tolerance is still fairly low. Vicodin can still get me through in a pinch. So I'm not worried about the methadone not being enough to manage my pain.

I just feel like this is a huge decision. I never thought I'd be in this position and I'm the type of person that likes to get as much information and as many opinions as possible before making a big decision.

I love this board and all of you who spend time answering questions. I've learned so much!

[The Mayor]

I was put on Metadone Maintenence recently with just an addiction to pharmacuetical drugs... this should not be a problem

[Narkotikon]

Thank you for the long post. I really appreciate all the info! I've never tried the tea. I've definitely considered it but I'm worried about actually pulling it off. I caregive full-time for my parents, have two kids, and basically have close to NO privacy at this point. I wouldn't know how to even make the tea without answering a bunch of questions. I do hope to be back in my own home early next year though, so that could be an option at that point.

My concerns about a pain clinic is that they will treat me like a junkie. I'm currently prescribed 3 percs (the 5's) a day. Needless to say, I'm WAYYY beyond that. My primary isn't comfortable going beyond that because a lot of my pain isn't considered suitable for opiate treatment. I've been slapped with the words fibromyalgia, and am only receiving any sort of pain help because of my shoulder injury. But the pain I have is so far off the fibro scale. Unfortunately I do not have insurance and I'm thankful that I have a dr who still sees me even though she never gets any money out of me. She writes my scripts every month and I only have to see her twice a year. I just can't imagine any doctor, pain clinic or not, is going to bump me from 3 percs a day up to Oxycontins or something comparable. And my DOC for pain management is methadone. I can be pain free on 50 mg a day, at least at this point. I have thus far been pretty lucky with being able to switch back and forth between different meds and my tolerance is still fairly low. Vicodin can still get me through in a pinch. So I'm not worried about the methadone not being enough to manage my pain.

I just feel like this is a huge decision. I never thought I'd be in this position and I'm the type of person that likes to get as much information and as many opinions as possible before making a big decision.

I love this board and all of you who spend time answering questions. I've learned so much!

Well, I would definitely think that a PM doctor would put you on something more suited toward your pain. I mean, I don't think many CP sufferers would think that 3 5mg percs are anything but kids stuff. But, since you've got no insurance, which would probably be a pain clinic setback, I'd say go ahead for the methadone maintenance at a private or a public clinic. Just be sure that you screen for opiates, and it's even better to just screen for opiates alone, otherwise they might think that you're another type of addict trying to scam the clinic for opies. I mean, plenty of opiate addicts do poly drug use. But say if you were a coke addict and trying to get onto methadone too for the high, and you come in and test for coke and something small like hydro or codeine, then they might get suspicious. But if you test for oxy, then I'd say you'll be fine. If it were me, I'd probably not mention the pain part, especially if you say that 50mg of methadone takes care of pain and cravings. I mean, that's not really a high dose at all. And, if needed, you'd be more than likely to go higher. Some clinics have dose caps where they won't let a person go above a certain point (usually 100mg), but they're really not supposed to do that. When I was at the clinic I was getting 140 mg a day, which was too high for me and I think part of the reason why I couldn't function, which is why I'm no longer there, but I"m just trying to say that you'd be able to manage your pain and cravings at 50 (so you say), and if needed, they'd probably have no hesitations to go higher than that, espeically private clinics. In my mind, private clinics are more likely to give bigger increases / doses than public clinics because they're are there for the money, it's just a harsh reality. But, this isn't meant to tell you what to do, this is just meant to give you perspective.

[The Mayor]

Sorry about the earlier short post... wrote that on the fly without enough time to digest things.

I am in the same boat as you regarding pain/addiction. I recently switched to methadone, and have used it exclusively (more or less) for the last 2 months. It worked great in the beginning, but as time goes by, I am less and less thrilled with the results.

First of all, as you know, the buzz is not quite the same. And after a while, it's just downright lame. I think Candy said that it is not meant for pain control and it may not be what you want. I can also attest to this.

The primary use is to stave off withdrawls... and in the end it doesn't seem to be useful beyond this.

[madnesscult]

The clinics I went to wouln't put you on MMT unless you were either A) a woman and pregnant, or B) you could prove you'd done at least 2 other methadone detox programs unsuccessfully (meaning it didn't get you clean). And like others have said, you don't have to be doing heroin to get into a methadone clinic, just test positive for opiates. If you do get accepted for maintenance, you might want to not tell them that you're doing it for CP, and just exaggerate your usage so you get a higher dose, although there are some restrictions on that...I don't know if it's just California or not (and I don't know if it counts for MMT or not either), but clinics here aren't allowed to start anyone off at a dose higher than 30mg, although they can increase it after that.

Too bad you're not near Mexico, 'cos the clinics down there would be pretty useful for what you're trying to do...there's no restrictions on dose, and the one in Tijuana starts most people off at 118mg! It's fairly difficult to get your dose increased at clinics here in the U.S. but incredibly easy at Mexican clinics. They really don't give a shit, as long as you keep coming and giving them money. It's actually a lot harder to get your dose decreased at those clinics...I had a friend who was trying to taper off, and every few months when he'd get down to a fairly low dose, they'd bump him back up without telling him!

But anyway, hope you can figure something out.

[vaxn8]

It would be really difficult to get a maint program to work for pain. When methadone is used for pain, it is taken 3-4 times a day, not all at once in the AM. You really wouldn't get very good pain control over the course of a day.

[lolleedee]

I just discovered there is a methadone clinic down the street from me. I had no idea!




For those of you who have been prescribed methadone, has anyone gotten signed up who wasn't a heroin addict? I got started on opiates legally but soon began self medicating for CP. And we all know how the story goes... my doctor won't up my dose, I've turned towards the street, my tolerance has gone up and I cannot afford to live this way anymore. Drug seeking behavior is taking over my life and I'm fed up with it. But my quality of life has increased so much, pain wise, since I found opiates. I used to be in so much pain I couldn't work, I could barely parent my kids, I wanted to die every single morning. Those days are gone, but I'm stuck chasing pills all over the place.

As long as you test positive for opiates(doesn't have to be heroin...any 'ol opiate will do!!) and tell them about your addiction, you shouldn't have a problem. I wouldn't mention the cp...they will tell you to go to pain management instead. I never took heroin...did mostly pills and tons and tons of fentanyl...started for cp too, but then got hooked and spiraled out of control. That is when I started on methadone.

Methadone has been a lifeline for me. Unfortunately, I can't find it easily. So to get on with my questions... will a clinic accept me if I'm using for pain relief? Does it matter that I'm abusing pills, not heroin? Should I be honest about all of this? God knows I qualify as a junkie but I really don't take pills in order to get high. I'm just worried that I'll be rejected and referred to a pain clinic or something. Any thoughts?

As long as you test positive for opiates(doesn't have to be heroin...any 'ol opiate will do!!) and tell them about your addiction, you shouldn't have a problem. I wouldn't mention the cp...they will tell you to go to pain management instead. I never took heroin...did mostly pills and tons and tons of fentanyl...started for cp too, but then got hooked and spiraled out of control. That is when I started on methadone.

[Narkotikon]

The clinics I went to wouln't put you on MMT unless you were either A) a woman and pregnant, or B) you could prove you'd done at least 2 other methadone detox programs unsuccessfully (meaning it didn't get you clean). And like others have said, you don't have to be doing heroin to get into a methadone clinic, just test positive for opiates. If you do get accepted for maintenance, you might want to not tell them that you're doing it for CP, and just exaggerate your usage so you get a higher dose, although there are some restrictions on that...I don't know if it's just California or not (and I don't know if it counts for MMT or not either), but clinics here aren't allowed to start anyone off at a dose higher than 30mg, although they can increase it after that.

Too bad you're not near Mexico, 'cos the clinics down there would be pretty useful for what you're trying to do...there's no restrictions on dose, and the one in Tijuana starts most people off at 118mg! It's fairly difficult to get your dose increased at clinics here in the U.S. but incredibly easy at Mexican clinics. They really don't give a shit, as long as you keep coming and giving them money. It's actually a lot harder to get your dose decreased at those clinics...I had a friend who was trying to taper off, and every few months when he'd get down to a fairly low dose, they'd bump him back up without telling him!

But anyway, hope you can figure something out.

Yeah, that's true about the pregnant ladies. The clinic I was at had a waiting list, but if you were pregnant, you got put on the top of the list.

And the 30 milligrams max I think is a federal rule. That's how it was in KY too. Of course they blind dosed you for the first week, or until you were out of w/d I guess. I don't know why they think that will help. I'd actually rather see the dose I was getting. Anyway I had never done methadone before I went, so I read up about it. The different types, the waffers, etc., and I remember reading about how they can't give you more than 30 mg on the first day. The first day there sucked. You went in, then the nurses drew your blood because they tested for hep and other things, then you saw the doctor, he gave you a physical and checked for w/d signs, then you got called back to get your first dose, then you had to wait for two hours, then you got called back for a second dose, then you had to wait for another hour, then you could leave. They divided the dose probably into 10 / 20 or 15 /15 I guess to make sure you weren't lying and going to OD. I have no idea how the doctor found any w/d symptoms in me when I went in, because I drank a bunch of tea just an hour before I went. They said you had to be clean for 24hrs before, but he obviously thought I was in w/d. I think maybe because I'm nervous. I mean, I wasn't nodding when I went in, but I wasn't sick and feeling pretty good. The only thing I didn't like was the fact that you had to wait so long, and it was so boring. I was talking to this other guy and his wife who were starting on the same day, and you know we were talking about what we were there for, and it's KY so most of the people there were there for OC, so that's what they were on, and they asked me what I had been doing, so I said morphine (because there's no way in hell I'm going to explain poppy tea to someone who wouldn't understand--I mean, I had a hard time convincing the clinic doctor that it was a drug, he said I was the only person he had known to ever do that. I thought that was funny because there's obviously a lot of people who do it) and heroin. They got really excited about that when I said H, so they started asking where and how and if they could get any. So I just said I got it in Cincinnati in a place called Over The Rhine and that you have to go between these certain streets, otherwise you'll just get crack. Anyway, I had to explain what a bag was, what a bundle was, etc. I guess they thought it would this ultimate high, but at least for me, if your'e already addicted to a strong opiate like morphine or oxy, it's going to be as pleasurable as people think it's going to be. Like, I guess they thought it would be like in Trainspotting, not that they've probably ever seen it. I mean, I really really like H, but I just don't get a lot of euphoria anymore. I miss it dearly. Anyway, they wanted me to drive them there to Cincy or go with them, and I'm like, that's okay, but I'd rather not. I don't mind helping people, but I'm not going to ride up there with strangers when they could just as easily score. It's not like I have some magical connection. Most of the time it's iffy anyways, because you never know what the dealer's going to have, or even if you're going to get the same dealer. I just don't go enough to have a regular connect. But yeah, that's my clinic first day.

[dimebagaboy]

I AGREE WITH EVERYONE THEY ALL GAVE U THE RIGHT ANSWERS IF U WENT IN THERE COMPLAINING ABOUT PAIN THEY WOULD SEND U TO A PMC BUT IF U WENT IN THERE SAYING U GOT HOOKED ON THE MEDS FROM A PAIN CLINIC AND U WANT OFF OF THEM,I SEE NO PROBLEM WITH THEM DOSING U THEY PROBABLY WLL START U OFF ON 30 40 MGS AND THEY WILL INCREASE U SHOULDNT HAVE PROBLEM LATER DAYZ AND GOOD LUCK "DIMEBAGABOY":cool:

[madnesscult]

I AGREE WITH EVERYONE THEY ALL GAVE U THE RIGHT ANSWERS IF U WENT IN THERE COMPLAINING ABOUT PAIN THEY WOULD SEND U TO A PMC BUT IF U WENT IN THERE SAYING U GOT HOOKED ON THE MEDS FROM A PAIN CLINIC AND U WANT OFF OF THEM,I SEE NO PROBLEM WITH THEM DOSING U THEY PROBABLY WLL START U OFF ON 30 40 MGS AND THEY WILL INCREASE U SHOULDNT HAVE PROBLEM LATER DAYZ AND GOOD LUCK "DIMEBAGABOY":cool:

CAPS LOCK IS NOT CRUISE CONTROL FOR COOL.

[Badly Drawn Girl]

I have another question and I know this sounds ridiculous... BUT I have a super deep rooted phobia of needles. What's the deal with blood tests and methadone clinics? Will I be asked to give blood at any point? I know in another thread someone mentioned being required to do a blood test for diseases. I just need to know what to expect because I have to mentally prepare myself for that type of thing. Otherwise I'll faint. Specifically, during intake will there be a blood test or just a urine sample?

Thanks in advance!

[trainwrecker]

I know for an absolute fact that the clinic in the Capital Hill neighboorhood in Seattle give you a blood test upon intake. I transfered from another clinic where I already had bloodwork done and they still took blood. I've been going to this clinic for a while now and I must say if you are paying for it you should find a different one. I stay here because I can get gov funding and I don't pay a dime for my dope. But if you make too much for that or whatever find a different clinic, I hear Evergreen is alright.

[Woods]

Well, I’d do heroin occasionally, but I was primarily a morphine and dilaudid user. You don’t have to be using heroin, and you don’t have to inject. Hell, in some places, like southern Ontario, Most of the people that are on methadone are on it for oxycontin.

[madnesscult]

I have another question and I know this sounds ridiculous... BUT I have a super deep rooted phobia of needles. What's the deal with blood tests and methadone clinics? Will I be asked to give blood at any point? I know in another thread someone mentioned being required to do a blood test for diseases. I just need to know what to expect because I have to mentally prepare myself for that type of thing. Otherwise I'll faint. Specifically, during intake will there be a blood test or just a urine sample?

Thanks in advance!

At all 3 clinics I've been to, they require a blood sample upon intake (along with a TB test), but they don't use the normal needle/container thing. Because so many junkys have terrible veins, they won't even bother trying to find one, and instead they'll prick your finger and just squeeze for drops until they've gotten enough.

[Badly Drawn Girl]

At all 3 clinics I've been to, they require a blood sample upon intake (along with a TB test), but they don't use the normal needle/container thing. Because so many junkys have terrible veins, they won't even bother trying to find one, and instead they'll prick your finger and just squeeze for drops until they've gotten enough.

That should sound better but that's worse! lol More distrubing to me than a needle is a finger poke. Oh well, I guess if I make this decision I will just have to go in mentally prepared for a needle. I'm really leaning away from the clinic at this point, not because of that, but I SO appreciate everyone's answers in this thread.

[SpecialGuy69]

^^^ IS TOO !!!!

[madnesscult]

That should sound better but that's worse! lol More distrubing to me than a needle is a finger poke. Oh well, I guess if I make this decision I will just have to go in mentally prepared for a needle. I'm really leaning away from the clinic at this point, not because of that, but I SO appreciate everyone's answers in this thread.

I don't see how it could be worse. I mean, the needle they poke your finger with is TINY -- pretty thin, and like 1/2cm in length. Seriously, getting your finger poked is a million times better than being stuck with those huge needles they usually use for blood draws, especially when they have to stick you multiple times to find a vein, at least that's my opinion.

[notDrPhang]

try the methadone thing for a month or so...if you don't like it stop going. It may help you quite a bit.